Father and Sons

A certain man had several Sons who were always quarrelling with
one another, and, try as he might, he could not get them to live
together in harmony. So he determined to convince them of their
folly by the following means. Bidding them fetch a bundle of
sticks, he invited each in turn to break it across his knee. All
tried and all failed: and then he undid the bundle, and handed them
the sticks one by one, when they had no difficulty at all in
breaking them. "There, my boys," said he, "united you will be more
than a match for your enemies: but if you quarrel and separate,
your weakness will put you at the mercy of those who attack
you."